Weeks 17–18: Practice Translating Simple NT Passages

Introduction

You’ve learned a great deal of grammar and vocabulary: nouns (first, second, and third declensions), articles, adjectives, pronouns, verbs (present, future, imperfect), prepositions, and conjunctions. Now it’s time to bring all these pieces together by practicing actual New Testament translations.

This is where theory becomes reality. By working with short, simple passages, you will begin to see how Greek naturally communicates meaning.

Step 1: Translation Strategy

When you approach a Greek passage, follow these steps:

1. Identify the verb(s). What is the tense, voice, mood, person, and number?

2. Find the subject. Look for nominative nouns or pronouns.

3. Locate objects and modifiers. Check the case endings.

4. Notice articles, adjectives, and prepositions. These give clarity.

5. Look for conjunctions. They show how clauses are linked.

6. Put it together. Translate the meaning into smooth English.

Step 2: Example Passages

Passage 1 – John 1:1

Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος.

• Verb: ἦν (imperfect, 3rd singular) → “was.”

• Subject: ὁ λόγος → “the Word.”

• Prepositional phrase: Ἐν ἀρχῇ → “In the beginning.”

Translation: “In the beginning was the Word.”

Passage 2 – John 1:4

ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν.

• Verb: ἦν (imperfect, 3rd singular) → “was.”

• Subject: ζωὴ (nominative singular) → “life.”

• Prepositional phrase: ἐν αὐτῷ → “in Him.”

Translation: “In Him was life.”

Passage 3 – Mark 1:17

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου.

• Verb: λέγει (present, 3rd singular) → “he says.”

• Subject: ὁ Ἰησοῦς → “Jesus.”

• Object: αὐτοῖς (dative plural) → “to them.”

• Direct speech: δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου → “Come after me.”

Translation: “And Jesus says to them, ‘Come after me.’”

Passage 4 – Matthew 5:14

ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου.

• Verb: ἐστε (present, 2nd plural) → “you are.”

• Subject: ὑμεῖς → “you (plural).”

• Predicate: τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου → “the light of the world.”

Translation: “You are the light of the world.”

Passage 5 – Romans 5:8

συνίστησιν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός.

• Verb: συνίστησιν (present, 3rd singular) → “demonstrates.”

• Subject: ὁ θεός → “God.”

• Object: τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην → “His own love.”

• Prepositional phrase: εἰς ἡμᾶς → “toward us.”

Translation: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us.”

Step 3: Building Skill

Notice how you already know the tools to decode these passages:

• Declensions → identifying subjects and objects.

• Verb endings → knowing who is acting.

• Articles/adjectives → clarifying meaning.

• Prepositions and conjunctions → linking ideas.

Each new passage strengthens your recognition and speed.

Practice Assignments

1. Translation Drill
Translate the following short NT passages:

1. John 1:5 – καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει.

2. Matthew 4:19 – καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου.

3. John 3:16a – οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον.

2. Parsing Practice
For each verb above, parse its tense, voice, mood, person, and number.

3. Vocabulary Reinforcement
Identify and translate all nouns in the passages. Note their case, number, and gender.

4. Composition Practice
Write 2 original short Greek sentences using vocabulary you’ve learned. Translate them into English.

Encouragement

This is the stage where the hard work pays off—you are actually reading the New Testament in Greek.

At first, your translations may feel slow and mechanical. That’s perfectly normal. Over time, the process will speed up, and you’ll begin to “hear” the text naturally.

Keep practicing. Each verse you translate builds your confidence and skill. Soon, you will find yourself reading Scripture in the language in which it was first written, gaining insights no translation could fully capture.